Athearn is currently touting the fact that it's more recent diesels are designed to accept a replacement / improvement Genesis motor. It looks to me similar to the mounting etc. for the BB diesels, but I haven't tried it. However, I do have both Genesis and BB engines, and Genesis is much, much better.
Note that since Athearn has been around so long, there are several companies who offer replacement motors designed to fit into Athearn engines. If you're in DCC, you need to remove the BB motor anyway (to insulate it from the frame) so not a bad time to replace the motor with a better one.
wholeman2. I have several that the motor squeeks at all speed ranges. How do I stop that? Any tips? I have tried lubing everything.
Way late to this thread, but my RTR motor started to grind, rather than squeak after very few - under 5 - hours of operation. OK, it had been on the shelf for a long time. Freshly lubed before running it though. With the shell removed I was able to recreate the noise. The motor end pieces are pressed into the magnet carrier - confirmed by Athearn. The one on the brush end is loose side to side. So the armature gets out of line with the magnets, makes contact with them and grinds. You can feel it holding the middle of the motor. In chatting with Athearn if I caught it earlier they could warranty it. But now it's a new motor. Hope your fix is (was) easier.
loatharhttp://www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_TuneUp.html http://hackitup.railfan.net/athearn.html http://www.horailroading.net/features/solutions/athearn-tuneup.htm http://trainweb.org/jfuhrtrain/tuneup.htm I like to clean the motors with CRC 2-26 electric contact cleaner/lube in addition to all the other tips.
http://www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_TuneUp.html
http://hackitup.railfan.net/athearn.html
http://www.horailroading.net/features/solutions/athearn-tuneup.htm
http://trainweb.org/jfuhrtrain/tuneup.htm
I like to clean the motors with CRC 2-26 electric contact cleaner/lube in addition to all the other tips.
Loathar
Glad you posted the links. I'm in the process of building up an Athearn dummy into a fully functional sound unit with new paint, as a learning exercise. I've been using the trial and error method. Need less errors. I think the links will help.Question: How can I tell if I have the motor positioned so the loco will travel in the right direction?
Thanks Lee
trainfan1221 I know that in the past it was always said that Athearn motors should be changed out, I saw several articles on it. I never had much trouble with them though. After all, Athearn purposely made their hoods too wide to accomodate the thing.
I know that in the past it was always said that Athearn motors should be changed out, I saw several articles on it. I never had much trouble with them though. After all, Athearn purposely made their hoods too wide to accomodate the thing.
The BB motor may not be silky smooth but,it does performs quite well as you noted.As far as changing out motors..Suffice it to say some modelers have deep hobby budgets.
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After all, Athearn purposely made their hoods too wide to accomodate the thing.
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Surely you jest?
The wide motor hasn't been made since the 70s.Even the old fat bodies was changed out to the newer slimmer motor during the 70s.
Today's Athearn locomotives have scale width hoods.
The older fat bodies hasn't been produce for several years..If memory serves the last production run of the SW7 and GP7 was in 2001.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
This photo is of a typical Athearn motor that was used in the early 60's. They were as small as the technology of the day allowed for this type of motor but were still too wide for a prototypical narrow hood. Thinner can motors were available but as with today cost was paramount.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
The larger hoods were built to accommodate the older Athearn motor with the oval magnet. The gold motors are narrow enough for hoods of prototypical width.
The older motors don't seem to have a problem with brush noise, maybe because the brush sleeves were machined brass, instead of the cheaper stamped eyelet style brush sleeves in the newer ones that seem to allow the brushes to wobble.
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
The E-R Sharks were Roco, but with better detail and gearing than the older Model Power units. They had the largest can motors in HO scale, and I've heard many times that they were originally designed as aircraft aileron motors. They lasted forever, but were often noisy due to unbalanced armatures.
Roco produces a top-notch product in Europe. I posted this Roco video a while back (all in German), showing some of their manufacturing process. It shows the Genesis style motors being wound and assembled.
http://www.roco.co.at/index.php?id=406
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/143813.aspx?PageIndex=1
The chirping noise from the older Athearn motors is made by the brushes on the commutator, and can sometimes be eliminated with electrically compatible lube like 2-26, and/or adjusting the spring pressure.
A little OT: Old E-R Sharks, did they also use Roco motors? Was the model all Roco, only marketed by E-R?
The Genesis diesels (at least the Fs and SDs) currently use the Roco motor mentioned by Spalato68. They are excellent runners. Earlier Genesis diesels used a gold Buehler motor, which was faster, used more current, and was less quiet than the Rocos.
The RTR switchers use Sagamis? Wow, I hope they also put those in their upcoming Turbines.
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Motor on this picture (http://www.pbase.com/espee5318/image/91570658) is excellent motor from ROCO. This is ROCO's own development, much better than BUHLER for example. ROCO uses it for most of it's locomotives.
If this is what Athearn uses in it's locomotives, it is excellent choice.
wholemanI have several Athearn RTR locos that have been quite reliable and well detailed for the price. I do have a couple questions. 1. Do the Genesis line of locos have the same type of motor?
I have several Athearn RTR locos that have been quite reliable and well detailed for the price. I do have a couple questions.
1. Do the Genesis line of locos have the same type of motor?
No. My Genesis MP15AC uses a Sagami Motor. It is far and away much better than athearns RTR motors, although now their newer SW1500's are coming out with better can motors now too. So I think athearn is slowly moving away from their old open frame motors of which I've had several problems with.
2. If you have TV tuner cleaner, spray that on the motor brushes and commutator. That worked for me.
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No..The RTR locomotives uses the older BB motor..
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2. I have several that the motor squeeks at all speed ranges. How do I stop that? Any tips? I have tried lubing everything.
Lubicate all drive shafts,flywheel shaft and carefully oil the motor shaft at the motor shaft bushings..A tiny drop will do-I use the thin tip of a tooth pick.
Check for any rubbing..
The new motors appear the same as the old, just with the hex drive shafts and couplers.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ATHEARN-HO-MOTOR-FLYWHEELS-DCC-READY-DASH-9-AC-4400_W0QQitemZ110382488228QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item19b34f1aa4&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
EDIT-Here's a pic of the Genesis motor. Obviously different.
http://www.pbase.com/espee5318/image/91570658
If I understand your question correctly, you have some Athearn RTR engines and are asking if the Genesis engines use the same motor. I believe that the Genesis engines use a better quality motor if I remember from their ads, specifically for the F7 models.
If it is your idea to possibly replace the existing RTR motors with a Genesis motor, I don't know if the two motors have the same footprint. This is a question that someone else may be better qualified to answer,
i have no experience with the genesis motor but if all else fails to quiet it down, first be sure it is the motor and then try burnishing the comutator and perhaps adjusting the brush spring tension. i have gotten quite a few noisy ones to shut up that way.
grizlump
Thanks in advance.
Will